Ezra Cornell gave his farm, wealth and industry to establish Cornell University - New York State's land grant university. The little known story is his investment in 500,000 acres of land grant scrip in Northern Wisconsin – one of the most successful land speculation deals in US history – and the impact this had on the university, Wisconsin, and a small town on the banks of the Chippewa River – 900 miles from Ithaca, New York – that bears his name. Looks like I'm heading north.

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9.08.2010

16 Intermission: Trivia

As the college football season gets into full swing, I want remind rabid fans that Cornell maintains an undefeated record against Ohio State University. As recently as the 1940 season, the Big Red demolished the Other Red. I believe the bear mascot had a role in these victories. And the only connection to the Wisconsin land grant is a brief reference of Ezra Cornell coming across a bear cub on his first excursion to Wisconsin in 1866. No reason to believe that this encounter inspired the selection of the CU mascot.